Aftermath revised
by Trock-Locks93
Summary: fluff about one of the cutest movie couples around! Please review this, I really need to learn how to write better.


It was over. Inception was finished.

Ariadne inhaled sharply as she opened her eyes, startled to be back in a world she could call 'reality'. _This is real. _Immediately after that thought, she looked to her left to see Arthur seated on the side of his chair, hunched over, delicately removing the IV from the crook of his arm. With a knitted brow, His dark eyes flickered up to hers briefly; she felt their smoldering sting.

_The Kiss. Was that real?_

As he looked away quickly and strode off, she remembered the touch of their lips. Brief. Electric. _A dream. _ He had come in slowly, exhaling a warm, sweet breath that mingled pleasantly with his cologne and had brushed against her skin, causing it to tingle. As their mouths met, she instinctively pursed her lips, suddenly locking them in a sweet, supple moment. It was not urgent; simply smooth and tender.

_Had he felt the same?_

Cobb stood also, his usual stony facade slightly broken, revealing distress. His eyes were blank and he brought one arm up behind his head, rubbing his neck. Suddenly, he was brought back to reality.

"Eames, Yusuf: stay in the area. I need to leave immediately, but I may need you soon. Arthur, look after Ariadne please. Get a hotel nearby, I'll call everyone within the next week."

He threw his suit-jacket over his shoulders hurriedly, the sound of the silk inside of it whispering as it made contact with his arms. Flustered, he walked out of the room. Ariadne knew exactly where he was going. He would get on the next plane out and see his children.

Suddenly, she realized she would be spending more time with Arthur. _Awkward. _

She finally stood up and walked slowly towards Arthur, putting her hands in her pockets sheepishly. She half-smiled at him as if to say _'what now?'_. There was an obvious amount of tension among the group as they gathered their things and left—and everyone was quiet. Their plans of many months past had finally come to fruition and an enormous journey had ended, leaving a gaping hole in each of their lives. It was as though there were an elephant in the room.

Arthur cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. His jaw flexed apprehensively and she noted the sharp, beautiful set of it. "Uhh, I know a hotel a few blocks from here. Get your stuff, let's go." Sliding into a cab, they both were still and quiet. Ariadne, as well as Arthur, was suddenly distracted by remembering the events of that day. It was an experience that would bond the team forever. The trust that coincided between them all, the flying bullets, the threat of skulking in a shadowy world of limbo for two lifetimes going insane. It was a lot to think about.

They stopped in front of an expensive looking hotel. She didn't know much about Arthur, but she felt this was his taste. Leering at it amazedly, she was surprised to see Arthur's face duck into her open cab door; holding both of their bags."Coming?" he asked. His expression, although mostly blank, possessed a stormy and brooding air barely discernible.

At the counter, a gentleman handed him two envelopes. He turned back to Ariadne with them. "The rooms are adjoining, I hope you don't mind." He said. She shook her head, "Uh, no, not at all." She held her hand out and wavered, biting her lip. She looked up at his face questioningly. "Pick whichever, it doesn't matter." He said amusedly. She quickly snatched the one to the left.

He picked up the bags and turned and walked ahead of her towards the elevators; She followed him, feeling out of place in the lavishly decorated hotel lobby. She noticed his long, confident strides; how the brown silk vest over his white dress-shirt (which was casually rolled up to his elbows) accentuated the tight cinch of his waist. His hair was slicked back neatly, his shoes shined perfectly. Even his cheeks were razored close to reveal his sharp features.

As soon as the elevator door closed, Arthur sighed and closed his eyes, throwing his head back against the wall of the elevator. Letting his composure down slightly. It was a relief to see him relax; though she didn't ask him any questions. Not yet, anyway.

At her door, Ariadne entered first, Arthur following and putting down her bags. "Well...if you need anything, I'm right next door." He began to walk out, but stopped, his tall, wiry frame looming darkly in her doorway. He fumbled with his keys in his hand. Suddenly, he turned about quickly and asked with a slight inflexion of his voice, "Ariadne, would you like to get some dinner with me?" She thought for a moment, dumbfounded, and then hurriedly said yes, shaking her head vigorously. "Great," he said "I'll meet you in the lobby in thirty minutes."

They sat down in a dimly lit booth of the hotel restaurant. They exchanged no words until their food was ordered, and even then it was silent for a few moments. "Was it just me, or was that pretty fucking intense?"Ariadne suddenly blurted out. They both had a laugh, and it was the first time either of them had cracked a smile since the operation. The awkward pretense slowly melted away and they talked over their meals for a long while. About Cobb. Mal. Eames. Life. There were times during the evening when Arthur's smile would fade completely and he would peruse Ariadne's face with his dark, thoughtful eyes as though he wanted to remember it, like he was drawing a portrait of her in his head._ The line of his mouth is beautiful_, she thought. _If only I could kiss it again._

Stopping outside of their doors once more, Ariadne gathered the courage to ask him. 'Would you like to come in for a minute?' she said. He was leaned against the wall, eyes on the floor, and as he whispered 'yes' he was close enough that she stood in the shadow of his square shoulders. _So close._ She inserted her key. The door swung open and he followed her in. She was facing away from him. "Today has been a lot, but I just want you to know that I meant that kiss."

Without thinking, she pivoted about and launched herself at him, covering his face with urgent kisses. His passion was equally matched. He picked her up, smashing the door shut; Ariadne wrapping her legs around his waste. He smothered her mouth in lusty kisses and then moved to her neck, feeling her hot pulse racing beneath his lips. She was warm and supple, pressing her waist against him, and she yielded beautifully to his touch. The invisible fragrance of her pheromones and body heat fueled his desire as he laid her on the bed gently beneath him. Consequently they were undressing each other, Arthur kissing each new part of flesh he revealed.

Their bodies entwined, they made love. Arthur was gentle, wrapping his arms entirely about her, cradling her neck and shoulders with one arm and placing the other hand on her upper thigh. It was as though he treated her body like a fragile porcelain idol he didn't want to break, and never wanted to let go of. He would intermittently place a tender, burning kiss on her mouth, and run his hand down her silken flank, pausing at the small of her back that was arched with pleasure. For all his strength, he was never rough, channeling all of his energy into making sweet love to her as long as he could. Unavoidably, their intimacy ended in an amazing climax that left both of them breathless and euphoric. They fell off of each other, sighing, and Ariadne crawled back to Arthur and laid her head against his chest. His arm curled around her, and as she listened to the drum of his heartbeat, they both fell asleep.


End file.
